As You Like it Grissom
by CR1-GSR
Summary: How Grissom finally realises his love of Sara, with a little help from William Shakespeare.
1. Chapter 1

**AS YOU LIKE IT ****GRISSOM**

_A grateful thanks to __**Grissom1**__ a wonderful Beta, also __**Mel**__ and __**Sara Sidle Grissom**__ for their ongoing encouragement. This is my first try at a WIP and I have a sad muse that will not let this idea go until I have something down. _

**Chapter****1**

In the business of the lab there was one small oasis of silence, through the glass windows and doors the low light could be seen, a specimen in his own right , sitting at his desk surrounded by his jars and books.

There sat Gil Grissom doing the one thing he hated most …paperwork.

As much as he would love to get out of it passing it to Cath it was not an option now ,not since her promotion , this mountain of triplicate and sign offs he had to do.

His team had not even arrived ,the joys of coming in early, so there was not even the lame excuse to check on what they were doing. A small laugh escaped from his lips, his team, Greg and of course, Sara.

He looked at his watch and sighed, they would probably not start shift for another few hours, Sara would come in soon no dout, tying off loose ends of cases from the prevoius night. Grissom stretched as he resigned himself to the mountain of slips of paper that were cluttering his desk.

A few hours later, Grissom leaned back with a satisfied smirk on his face and an overflowing out tray and a thought of how much this would keep Eklie off his back He rubbed his eyes while removing his glasses, flexing his now sore neck and rolling it to loosen the knots. He relaxed for a moment looking around.

There a book caught his eye, one that just beckoned to him from underneath the pieces of redundant paperwork. He could get lost in that book. He had done it so many times before. Just to open it meant he could escape. His fingers caressed the binder as he looked around. He knew he shouldn't but the pull was too strong. He opened the book and smiled. While he was transported to another time and place, the images of this life danced on the pages with the words.

He knew them so well as them he, but this time the so familiar words that basked his mind and soul were tinged with… were tinged with…

"We have a problem…" the gravity and urgency in Brass's voice caught Grissom instantly, setting the book onto the desk , he listened intently ,as intently as he had been engrossed in his own thoughts a few minutes before.

Following Brass from his office a carefully discarded book lay among the files , its pages remaining open, beckoning the absent reader back to realize a part he still had to play …

_All the world's a stage_

_And all the men and women merely players;_

_They have their exits and their entrances;_

_And one man in his time plays many parts,_

_His acts being seven ages. _

A/N **All the world's a stage** is the phrase that begins a famous soliliquy fromWilliam Shakespeare's **As You Like It**, The speech compares the world to a stage and life to a play, and catalogues the seven stages of a man's life, sometimes referred to as the **seven ages of man**.

A/N 2 Should I continue ?, do you want to see what stages Grissom will go through? Should I have strangled my muse for this silly story? Please let me know .


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Apologies for not updating this sooner ,Real Life got in the way big time and there were far too many fantastic angst stories being written which I just HAD to read and totally distracted me !!

To Amanda Hawthorn for being a wonderful Beta , you rock hun! And to all us GSR fans …

……….KEEP THE FAITH !!!

_Summary , How with a little help from William Shakespeare, Grissom realises his love for Sara when things get tough for him and his team. Spoilers through Grave Danger _

GREG

_At first the __infant,  
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms;_

Grissom drove with determination through the darkened streets, not noticing the passing lights and noise of the Las Vegas night. A sense of confusion seems to pervade his thoughts. The information that Brass has given him had been scant and he was grateful that the request had come from Catherine to contact him.

Since the split things had changed. The long easy years of friendship seemed at times to have been forgotten, strayed and frayed. There was a new path being forged by them both, a battle of wills that he neither wished nor wanted. Catherine was finding her feet as a boss and he wanted to help but when she sided with Eckle over Sara, he had seen her in a totally new light. Tonight after Brass had brought him the sketchy news she had called, and he went, not as senior supervisor but as a friend to her and Nick.

Now as he drew to a halt outside the lab his thoughts snapped back to the matter in hand. Entering the building there was no doubt about the air of purpose that surrounded Grissom as he strode down the corridors focusing on the information he had collected earlier. His mind was processing, trying to comprehend, trying to work out the things that were not adding up. He failed to notice the looks that followed him; the office gossip was working fast.

Who would do this?

Why Nick?

Why now?

How did they take him?

Too many unanswered questions.

With a determination so few had seen in a long while, Grissom sped down the corridors.

He was the boss, the one always in control, the one who had all the answers, the one who figures it all out, but this time … he had no felt this since …

Holly Gibbs.

In this confusion he approached his office and caught sight of Sara and Greg waiting for him.

Greg shot up out of his seat with a look of expectation, a look of hope, wanting answers to questions that Grissom did not have.

"Grissom, is it true?"

"It appears so, Greg"

"Yes, but how?"

"I don't know yet, we are still looking at the evidence that we collected at the scene. Catherine is on her way back."

"But there must be more that could be done, surveillance, DNA, eye witnesses," Greg said, as a note of desperation began to seep into his words.

Sara who had been quiet came up beside Grissom .Greg focused first on Grissom and then at Sara, his eyes darting from one to the other, looking … looking for something.

Seeing the despair start to rise in the young CSI, Grissom looked purposefully at Greg,

"Yes Greg, there is something that you can do … be the CSI that you have been trained to be … use your skills that you have been taught."

In the time it took to take a breath Greg was up and out of the chair. He looked at Grissom intently, and with a nod acknowledged that he had something to do.

"Back cases, that's what I'll check," and with that he was out the office and headed away.

Without realizing it Grissom had sat in his chair, an air of worry etched on his face. Leaning forward he sat, head bowed, his hand rubbing his tired face.

"Grissom, are you okay?"

He hadn't noticed that Sara was still there, he had been so focused on Greg. Sara had been there quietly supporting without him realizing it.

"I'm fine, honestly"

"If you're sure, I've got that evidence you brought in to check"

"No, I'm fine Sara you go, honestly go." Sara knew this was not the time or the place to question

"I'll go check this out in the layout room. I'll let you know when I find something) when I find something." Heading out the door she momentarily saw something that unnerved her…a glimmer of uncertainty, and for Grissom that was something to worry about.

Seconds, minutes and hours passed with each of the team grappling with their own task, trying to find some evidence, anything however small. They all congregated together, files, papers, results, half empty cold coffee cups and no answers. The discussions focused on each of them in turn, but they all had the same result, absolutely nothing.

Grissom took a second to watched Greg, the ever youthful child. He would always remain young to them. It did not matter that he would age along with the rest of them. He was stuck as the youngest and with that title brought nurturing. He would watch him grow. There would be playful antics that would make the gruffest chuckle. He was sure to fail, to toddle about and fall from time to time but they would always be there ready to lift him up. Sara would comfort the wounds he received. Like a mother to a child. He would ever be protected.

A small satisfied sigh escaped Grissom; he momentarily allowed a smile across his face to match the pride he felt. He was proud of how this young boy had grown so much zeal and exuberance, a joy to see, to mould to guide. And then in a moment it was ripped from him as all senses turned to the disturbance that beckoned them to the reception area, and would make all this be as real as reality could make it, tearing every emotional fiber from his body.

A/N ,This is the first WIP I have attempted and would really value feedback, thanks

A/N 2 ,**All the world's a stage** is the phrase that begins a famous soliloquy from William Shakespeare's **As You Like It**, The speech compares the world to a stage and life to a play, and catalogues the seven stages of a man's life, sometimes referred to as the **seven ages of man**.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N .... No this story is not dead and unfinished. Major apologies for not updating this sooner, real life gets in the way big time and as I work full time, have a family & elderly parents to keep an eye on, "My time" is unfortunately way down the list.

To Amanda Hawthorn for being a wonderful Beta , and Poppie Lee for keeping on prodding me. You both rock !

_Summary , How with a little help from William Shakespeare, Grissom realises his love for Sara when things get tough for him and his team. Spoilers through Grave Danger _

Chapter 3

**NICK  
**_Then the whining school-boy,_

_with his satchel and shining morning face, creeping like snail  
Unwillingly to school.___

Anger and annoyance pulsated thorough Grissom as he followed the commotion that Hodges had caused at Reception. He was in no mood for this lab techs perpetual irritation and this was not; oh this was so not the moment for one of his antics. As he rounded the corner everyone's focus was on what Grissom would do next, but as Grissom's eyes locked on the words "Nick Stokes" on the package that Hodges had placed on the counter he barely heard him speak.

Even now the investigator in him would take centre stage, snapping the gloves on, collecting the first piece of evidence.

"Let me do this," he spoke as his voice cracked a little, and with the tender nod of approval from Catherine he headed for an empty lab. He wanted to do this, he needed to do this. He wanted to do this, not just for himself and the other; he just needed to feel like he was actually helping. Not to protect the others, but he wanted, no needed to actually do something.

Carefully taking the package with expert ease Grissom slit the package with some trepidation, not sure what he would find, what was going on or why someone had taken Nick.

A flash drive and audio tape fell from the package and a feeling of impending dread washed through him. This was not some half hearted attempt on Nick's life but something that was planned meticulously.

Swiftly Grissom took both and headed for the AV lab, the others without hesitation following. Once the tape was inserted the taunting voice and sound ran a chill though everyone present. There was more than worry being expressed in the faces of those that were present. Nick was more that a work colleague, a friend, buddy, a brother, he was family and this was personal.

One click, and they could watch, watch in utter disbelief on seeing Nick, each one looking at the screen, seeing Nick entombed. Each one trying to comprehend what they were seeing, not wanting to believe it. The horror of Nick in the glass tomb was impossible to comprehend. Grissom caught their looks, shock, disbelief, anger and pain all showing so visibly on their faces.

Taking himself over to the desk as the others remained transfixed on what was on the screen he knew that calculations needed to be worked on quickly, Nick could not survive for long without air and so the practicalities of working out how long needed to be a priority. Glancing up he caught a look at Sara , he did not need to even guess at how she felt ,she showed it all there as she watched the screen ,the anguish impressed upon her face, that lone tear that he could see ever so slightly in the corner of her eye.

Everyone's voices seemed to explode at once, questions and possibilities abounded in the small confines of the lab. He sat there looking down at all that he had written,

and as he looked up , in that moment when it takes you to blink, he saw them all looking , waiting for him to tell them what to do, the vision that he could still see, haunting him, taunting him on the screen that was behind them all. The decisions about what needed to be done were agreed without thought or word,each knew the role they needed to play for their friend.

Grissom needed to breathe, he needed to think, to try and keep focused and not make it personal …but damn, it was personal and emotions were seeping in to his thoughts whether he liked it or not. He headed out to get some air, he felt the lab closing in, constricting him. What would Nick be going through in that glass tomb?

Heading down to the morgue where he knew he could slip out for a few minutes, a figure caught his eye in the distance. She was slumped on a bench, her head down staring at the floor lost in contemplation

"Sara", Grissom softly spoke

Jumping at his voice Sara quickly looked up, the moist sheen of tears threatening to spill over onto her flushed cheeks.

"Grissom, oh ... I... just needed a few minutes alone."

Grissom sat next to her looking at the nonexistent spot that she had been looking at a moment before.

"Its okay," he said softly, "I was just heading outside for a few minutes by myself as well."

"Oh, I'm sorry…I should go" with that Sara started to rise but was stopped by a gentle tug on her wrist.

"No, come on, sit for a minute or two, everything is covered," his hand enclosed hers now, trying to give some reassurance.

Without looking at him Sara smiled in remembrance, "You know when I first arrived here to stay, Nick was always trying to help me out and make me be at home and fit in. Did you know he took me round all the main tourist sites on the strip…he usually had a tale to tell about each one of them. He helped me get all my boxes unpacked when they got shipped down." She was fighting back the tears now, shaking her head and laughing softly "He was always keeping an eye on me. We would share the odd meal and he'd tell me all about his latest girlfriend."

Looking directly at Grissom Sara whispered so quietly, "Gris, what if …"

"Hey, I bet you in 24 hours Nick will be cracking those awful jokes of his, yeah?

Sara everyone is on this, we will get him okay". With that he gently squeezed her hand giving her a reassuring smile.

Taking a sharp intake of breath Sara looked again at Grissom. "You know I better go check with Archie to see if anything has shown up with the links."

"Yeah that would be great; I'll follow up in a few minutes." With that Grissom stood when Sara rose from the bench, "Okay?"

"Yeah, I might see if Greg can get us some of his coffee." She sighed and offered a worried smile before she turned away and walked back along the dim lit morgue leaving, Grissom to his solitude once more.

Glancing at the exit door he sighed, he did not have time even if he wanted to go out. Turning, his attention was drawn to the room beside him, slowly he entered, the silence and coolness hitting his senses. The morgue was a place where he could find solace where he could think and where the outside world could be forgotten for a time.

In front of him the sterile bank of fridges seems to suddenly draw his attention, cold clinical and impersonal, a final resting place for so many unfortunate souls.

Without realizing it, he had found himself opening one of the doors, it was empty but that emptiness seemed to be mocking him. There was a void of nothingness. He had nothing, nothing to go on about Nick's abduction, his whole team; the whole lab was feeling it. A million dollar ransom, he knew that the city would not stump up that, what he was going to do. Visions of Nick in the earth bound coffin flashed before his eyes.

"NO..." slamming the door with the anger and frustration that has bubbled to the surface, he stared ahead at his reflection from the door, sighing he leaned forward feeling the coolness of the steel on his forehead.

This time a vision of when he first met Nick as a CSI level 1, so young and eager to learn, full of zeal, full of compassion not just for the victims' families but for his collogues. He never knew about him helping Sara when she first came to stay, that was just typical of him. A small chuckle escaped Grissom's lips as he remembered when he and Nick had bought chemistry sets for Lindsay. Oh Cath was not amused, but they both had fun for days trying to outdo each other with the most colorful or obnoxious experiment. The burden of being the boss had stripped him of that spontaneity and fun, he knew that, but Nick had managed to keep his as best as you could in this job a innocence and wonderment of youthfulness.

Solitude and memories would have to wait now. It was time to see what Archie had come up with. Had he managed to catch something on the cities web cam, people needed to be seen. He would have to face the Stokes that he knew Cath had contacted. With a sigh he also knew he would need to talk to Ecklie. With each thought Grissom's pace along the corridor became more determined as he strode back towards the lab, just about to climb the stairs he momentarily glanced back at the empty bench were he and Sara had been alone sharing together time for their friend.

With that he turned and headed to all that lay ahead but even in the quietness he spoke which only he could hear, "Nick you hold on ...We'll find him Sara."

_A/N, This is the first WIP I have attempted and would really value constructive feedback, thanks, and I promise for those who were so kind to put this on an alert to get the next chapter up sooner. _


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